Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-11-17
GOV. OGLESBY's DECISION.
His Decision In FUN as Rendered In tho
Anarchist Case.

SrRNaFrELp, Nov 10.--l'he following
Is the Governors decision In full in the
anarchist case:
STATE or ILLINOIS. Executive OFFICE,
SPRINGFIELD, Nov 10, 1887. $3.50 On the Goth
day Of August. 1885, In the Cook County
Criminal Court. August Spies, Albert X.
Parsons, Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab,
Adolph Fischer, George Engcl and Louis
Lingg were found guilty by verdict Of
Jury, and afterwards sentenced TO be
hanged for the murder Of Matthias De.
gan. An appeal was taken from such
finding and sentence TO the Supreme
Court OF the State. That curt, upon a
final hearing, and after mature dclibera.
ton, unanimously affirmed the judgment
Of tho court below, and the case now
comes before me by petition OF defend
ants for the consideration OF the Cover
nor Of the State. II the letters of Albert
Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George Engel
and Louis Lingg, demanding uncondit.
ional release or, as they express II, liberty
or death, and protesting In the strongest
language against mercy or the commutat'
Ion OF the sentence pronounced against
them. can be considered u petition, n
pardon could II be granted, which might
imply any guilt whatever upon the part OF
either Of them, would not be such vindi.
cation as they demand, Executive
Intervention upon the grounds insisted
upon by the four above named persona
could In no proper sense be deemed an
exercise OF constitutional powers, TO
grant reprevcs, combinations and
pnrdons, unless used on the belief
on my part Of their entire innocence
Of the crime Of which they stand convict
ed, On a careful consideration Of the
evidence In the record Of the trial OF the
parties ms well as OF all OF that alleged
and claimed for them outside OF the record
has failed TO produce upon my mind any
impression tending TO impeach the
verdict Of the jury or the judgment
Of the trial court or of the Supreme court
affirming the guilt OF all these parties.
Satisfied therefore. as am Of their guilt
| am precluded from considering the ques
ton of Communication OF Inc sentences OF
Albert H. Parsons, Adolph Fischer, George
Engel and Louis Lingg to imprisonment
In the pcnitentiary as they emphatlcally
declare they will not accept such commu.
tation Samuel Fieden, Michael Schwab
and August Spies unite In petition for
tAttuhFc NiNiaNh ohH Ssh W W.
In addition present separate and supple.
mental petition for Communication Of their
sentences. While rs above said, ! am
satisfied Of the guilt OF all the parties as
found by the verdict OF tie jury, which was
sustained by the judgment Of the courts
a most careful consideration Of the whole
subject leads me to the conclusion that
the sentence of the law as to Samuel
Fieldep and Michael Schwab may be
modified rs to each Of them In the interest
Of humanity without doing violence to
public justice. And MS to the said Samuel
Fielder and Michael Schwab the sentence
is committed TO imprisonment in the
penitcntiary for life. AS TO all other above
named defendants do not feel justified
in interfering with the court. While
would gladly have come to different
conclusion il regard to defendants Au-
gust Spies, Adolph Fischer, George Engel,
Albert r. Parsons and Louis Lingg.
regret to say that under the solemn sense
of the obligations Of my office, have
been unable to do So
[Signedl RICHARD j. OGLEsBY, Gov.